Cowen, Laurence
Entry updated 10 August 2018. Tagged: Author.
(1865-1942) UK scriptwriter, playwright, film and theatre director and author born Laurence Cohen, who also wrote as by Lesser Columbus. His "Wake Up!": A Dream of To-morrow (3 January-26 February 1915 Daily Express; 1915) is a Near Future Invasion tale which avoids direct reference to World War One by giving the invading nation the imaginary name of Vaevictia; before its publication, a film version, "Wake Up!" (1914) directed by Cowen, was released, seemingly taken from Cowen's pre-existing text, likely in manuscript form. His second novel of interest, "It is for England!": A Romance of our own Times (1917; rev vt The Hidden Hand 1918), seems on the other hand to be a straight novelization of his script for "It is for England!" (1916) directed by Cowen. In the tale, a reincarnated Saint George exposes a bad baronet as a German spy, directly causing the end of the War, and the regicide of the Kaiser at the hands of his fellow Germans. [JC]
Laurence Cowen
born Hull, Yorkshire: 12 February 1865
died London: 7 October 1942
works (selected)
- "Wake Up!": A Dream of To-morrow (London: Everett, 1915) [first appeared 3 January-26 February 1915 Daily Express: basis for film, "Wake Up!" (1914), see text above: hb/uncredited]
- "It is for England!": A Romance of our own Times (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1917) [tie to the film, "It is for England!" (1916): hb/uncredited]
- The Hidden Hand (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1918) [rev vt of the above: pb/uncredited]
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